Cyberhawk, a specialist in drone-based inspection and creator of iHawk, has secured a service agreement with SP Energy Networks, one of UK’s energy suppliers
Cyberhawk provides drone-based inspection services across the utility’s 2,400 towers and electricity transmission structures, helping the utility maintain a safe and resilient electricity supply to more than 3.5 million customers.
Cyberhawk has delivered the next level of quality in inspection data collection and management to SP Energy Networks to date, providing a robust approach to defect identification to mitigate faults and prevent power cuts, maintenance planning, and the tracking of remedial actions.
Cyberhawk has also supported the utility in meeting targets to minimise the environmental impact of its inspection activities. As a result of adopting drone-based inspection services, SP Energy Networks has been able to reduce its use of helicopters for visual inspection, which are significant sources of air pollution, and as a result it has been able to reduce emissions.
Chris Fleming, CEO of Cyberhawk, said, “By partnering with Cyberhawk, SP Energy Networks has chosen a more environmentally conscious solution for inspecting its electrical network and structures, supporting its commitment to significant emissions reductions, while returning more accurate results through our drone inspection technology and iHawk software.”
“This has also assisted SP Energy Networks in maintaining critical inspection services throughout the corona virus pandemic, helping to keep the lights on for millions of customers in the UK and ensuring safe operations across its network,” Fleming added.
Pearse Murray, transmission director for SP Energy Networks, said, “It’s a massive undertaking to complete the regular inspection of the many towers on our transmission network but the drone technology represents a significant step forward for a number of reasons. Firstly, it’s hugely beneficial for the environment and the imagery we obtain is of a high standard due to the flexibility of the drones in assessing tower conditions, meaning we can make even more informed decisions.”
